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Season Review, 2014

1st December 2014

With the racing season now over for the year, we take a look back at Newdigate-based racing driver Nick Padmore's incredible 2014 season, which saw him take no fewer than 10 wins from the 11 races he competed...

Padmore kicks off his season with the race weekend of his life, taking to the streets of Monte Carlo for the 2014 Historic Grand Prix. Having had no previous experience of the track, Padmore secures a spot on the second row of the grid against 33 other entries. In Sunday's race, Padmore almost gets out of the car moments before the start, with the car rapidly losing water and suffering from high water temperatures, but he battles through with a heard-earned and well-managed drive, doing everything he can to cool the car down, to secure 3rd on his first attempt at the race.

Having not even sat in the March 783 since November 2013, a last-minute decision was made to enter the HSCC Classic Formula 3 race and Padmore immediately gets himself reacquainted with the car, putting himself on the front row in a slippery qualifying session. After making a rare mistake off the line, which saw him demoted to 5th by the first corner, Padmore gets into the lead by the end of Lap 3, where he stays to the chequered flag, having pulled an 8.4sec advantage over the field.

Another dominant weekend sees Padmore take the clean sweep of poles, fastest laps and race wins - he also puts his name to the Classic F3 lap record. A clearly delighted Padmore is presented with the winners' trophy by 1974 British Formula Three Champion and former Formula One driver, Brian Henton.

Teaming up with Phil Hall for their fourth attempt at the annual 50-minute spectacle, Hall starts the race and is running strongly before making an unscheduled pit stop and hands over to Padmore. Rejoining in 15th overall with 22 minutes left on the clock, Padmore wastes no time and gets up to 5th overall; more than enough to seal the class win.

Classic Formula 3 UK is joined by Classic Formula 3 France for a head-to-head battle on the Kent circuit. Padmore brings home the overall victory for the Anglos with three convincing lights-to-flag victories over the course of the weekend.

Padmore joins Historic Formula One racer, Max Smith-Hilliard, in the latter's Chevron B19 for the 1-hour race. Starting from the front row, Padmore slips back to P4 in the damp conditions but takes the overall lead before handing over to Smith-Hilliard at half-race distance. Smith-Hilliard maintains solid pace and holds the class lead, keeping a cool head under pressure from P3, to the flag.

Racing the Wolf for the first time since Monaco, Padmore tops off his already victorious season with two further lights-to-flag wins at the Algarve Historic Festival in Portimao.

Nick Padmore:"It's been an incredible season and just taking a look back at all the races brings back some amazing memories.

"I want to say a huge thank you to Max Smith-Hilliard who has given me the opportunity to get behind the wheel of some unreal race cars which I remember seeing in books when I was growing up! - and racing at Monaco really was a dream come true.

"It's been a pleasure to coach Max again this year and and see the remarkable progress he has been making throughout the season. It's easy to forget that 2014 was only his first full season in Historic Formula One but he has put in some oustanding performances - notably, coming from the back of the grid (34th position) in Monaco to finish P11 which, any driver who has been there will tell you, is pretty impressive! But also Max has notched up some top results in Masters Historic Formula One with a class win at Brno and podiums at Nurburgring and Zandvoort.

"WDK Motorsport have been on top form all year - everyone in the team has played their part in making 2014 the amazing year that it was. We share a passion for motorsport and a hunger for success which we aim to carry into, and develop, in 2015.

"After such a great season we are looking ahead to next year with high expectations. No doubt we will face plenty of challenges but we're already into our testing programme and preparations are well underway for the coming season.

"2014 has been a manic year and I've barely been at home so I intend to use the winter break to spend some time with my family and friends, although I'm sure racing won't be far from my mind, if at all!

"Finally, I'd like to thank everyone who has been supporting me. It's been great to see so many faces, old and new, at the races, and also we've been really happy with the response and support from my Facebook and Twitter pages. Thank you so much; see you in 2015!"